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Four years passed.
Pratap looked everywhere for Vandana and sulked for her, having no clue that his friend, Tej, was the one responsible for her sudden disappearance from his life. A lot transpired in these four years. Kailash got married, and so did Tej. Both of them kept insisting Pratap to move on with his life, but he couldn’t forget Vandana. Then Meera entered Pratap’s life through a social acquaintance, and Kailash gave his friend the necessary push to think about Meera and settle down with her.
Good days had just begun for Pratap after he married Meera when suddenly, one day, he met Vandana again at a political rally in the nearby village. Another shock hit him when he came to know that he had a son from her. Vandana didn’t leave a chance to vent her frustration and disappointment on him for shattering her trust and being involved in such a heinous act, stating that was the reason why she left him four years ago. Pratap, bewildered and hurt by the revelations, denied any involvement in any criminal activities. Vandana, unwilling to accept his words, demanded an explanation.
It was during this confrontation that Tej’s true face was revealed. Tej had played a manipulative role in driving a wedge between Pratap and Vandana, orchestrating events to his advantage. Though Pratap and Vandana’s misunderstanding was cleared, it was too late for them to reconcile because Pratap was already married to Meera. For Vishnu’s sake, they decided to be in each other’s lives, bridging the gap created by the years of misunderstanding. However, beneath the surface, Pratap couldn’t shake off the deep-rooted resentment towards Tej. The man he had considered a brother had been the architect of his heartbreak, and those wounds of betrayal ran deep.
Here, Pratap got to know Tej’s true colours and how he had turned into a traitor. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Tej had just fulfilled his next arms delivery to a group of rebels who were on a mission to spread riots in the city against a new bill passed by the health minister. An insider gave Kailash this information about Tej’s ulterior motive to spread chaos in his own homeland. Pratap returned to Mumbai at the same time after his meeting with Vandana, and both he and Kailash decided to confront Tej. Kailash wasn’t ready to let Tej get away with this, and Pratap had his own frustration to take out on his friend, who was the reason behind his separation from Vandana. Little did they know that fate had other plans for them that day.
The riots erupted in the city by the recent decision by a health minister who had proposed some bills related to the regulation of healthcare infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics and medical colleges, which didn’t go well with the opposition. That one decision had ignited a spark that transformed into a raging inferno because of the weapons supplied to the rebels by Tej. The city was in chaos. These rebels had targeted a few hospitals to vent their frustration and create havoc. The frenzied mobs threw stones like hail at the hospital building, smashing windows and sending shards of glass spiralling through the air. The situation was especially bad at the high-end Multi-Speciality City Hospital, catering to the affluent and the privileged families. It became a prime target of their fury. This was where ministers and their families sought treatment, a place where the common man felt marginalised and exploited. The hospital staff was caught off guard and scrambled to evacuate the patients, their faces etched with fear and panic. But it was too late. The thugs had already set the building on fire, their maniacal laughter mingling with the crackling of flames. The fire raged through the hospital, consuming everything in its path.
Meanwhile, the situation spiralled out of control when Tej’s name was plastered all over the media. Speculations began to spread like wildfire that he was the mastermind behind these riots. The pressure mounted, and Tej found himself backed into a corner by his friends Kailash and Pratap, his carefully constructed web of lies and deceit unravelling right before his eyes. Kailash and Pratap stood before Tej, their faces etched with disappointment and anger.
“Tej, how could we not see these changes in you?” Kailash asked. “We knew you were getting side-tracked, but none of us ever imagined you would do something to harm your own country and friends. How could you threaten and manipulate Vandana and separate her and Pratap? She was the love of his life.”
“Not just threatened, he lied to her that I was in cahoots with him in his illegal smuggling activities and shady dealings.” Pratap clutched Tej’s collar in anger.
Tej shrugged him off.
“If I hadn’t threatened and lied to her, she would have exposed me and my plans. I didn’t want to break up your relationship and home, Pratap. I just wanted to save mine. And don’t put the blame on me. Vandana’s lack of trust in you and your love played a significant role in her leaving you and fleeing, not my threats. And now you have Meera, and believe me, she is far better than that middle-class Vandana.”
Pratap’s fist landed on Tej’s face, and the latter stumbled back in rage.
“Your sins are innumerable, Tej,” Pratap sneered.
“We can’t believe how far you’ve fallen,” Kailash lamented. “Once you were so full of patriotism, and now you’re a traitor to your country. We dreamt of making a difference to the nation, of leaving behind a legacy that would be talked about for decades, Tej. How could you forget all that?”
Tej’s eyes flashed with resentment. “This country has shown me nothing but injustice and hardship,” he retorted. “It’s turned me into the man I am today. Now, this is my calling. To create chaos and rule the world. I thrive on the power it gives me and the wealth that follows. I’m f*cking proud of who I am now.”
“Happy?” Pratap exclaimed, his voice full of disbelief. “These riots are happening because of the arms and ammunition you’ve supplied them, Tej. Start acknowledging your sins before it’s too late. Innocent people are dying because of your actions.”
Tej shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s their problem, not mine. I just supply the weapons. What they do with them is their choice.”
Kailash shook his head in disgust. “Tej, you’ve lost your way. You’ve forgotten all the values we once held dear.”
Tej scoffed. “Values? What values? This country is built on corruption and deceit. You already know that. There are no real values left.”
Pratap’s frustration boiled over. “Even if that is true, it doesn’t justify your actions. You’re no better than the corrupt politicians you despise.”
Tej let out a harsh laugh. “And you think you’re any different, Pratap? Your brother Nilesh is also involved in this mess. He’s been my partner in crime from the beginning.”
Pratap’s eyes widened in shock. “Nilesh? No, that can’t be true.”
“Oh, but it is,” Tej smirked. “Your noble elder brother is just as corrupt and traitorous as I am. He is the one who double-crossed me today and backstabbed me. He always feared being caught and exposed. Overwhelmed and feeling pressured by the citywide unrest today, he chose to clear his image by providing the media with the evidence that I was the only one behind these riots. But he doesn’t know that if I go down, he’s going with me. I, too, have collated proofs against him. Imagine what will happen if they are exposed? His name will also be tarnished. And think about your political career. If the elder brother is found traitorous and in jail, who will vote for the younger brother and trust him? Your people wouldn’t take a minute to expel you from the party, Pratap. Your entire political career will be ruined.”
Pratap’s heart sank. He had always looked up to his elder brother and respected him as an honest and ethical man. To discover that his brother was a traitor and was involved in the same illegal activities as Tej was a devastating blow to him.
Kailash placed a reassuring hand on Pratap’s shoulder. “Pratap, you can’t let Tej’s words shake your resolve. You know the difference between right and wrong. You know you have to do what’s right. Tej will have to surrender to the police, and if Nilesh bhai is involved, so will he.”
“You will send your childhood friend behind the bars?” Tej snapped.
“A traitor who is creating chaos and taking the lives of innocents cannot be our friend,” Kailash replied. “The Tej we knew and loved have died long ago. This man in front of us is no less than a terrorist. And you know how every country deals with terrorists. If you don’t surrender Tej, you will be barred from your own country for your deeds, and we won’t stop looking for you until you are behind bars.”
Pratap supports Kailash’s decision.
“He is right. You are responsible for separating me from my love, Tej. Because of your lies, Vandana misunderstood me and walked away from my life. And I am sure you are the one who brainwashed my brother and dragged him into your illegal arms deal. Otherwise, we Walias have been known for our loyalty and patriotism for generations and can never betray our country. You are going to pay for this, Tej. Just like I have suffered all these years and yearned for Vandana, you will also long for your wife and unborn child. Kailash and I will make sure that you pay heavily for your sins.”
“And just so you know, the police have been alerted, Tej. They will be here any moment to arrest you. Your time is up,” they declared, a strong determination to make him pay for his sins evident in their eyes. Tej found it hard to fathom that his once-trusted friends had reached a point where they were actively working to have him arrested. The fact that they sought police intervention was a profound betrayal of the friendship they had shared until now.
